Lenovo today announced its entry into the global consumer PC market with the launch of a new line of notebook and desktop PCs. Lenovo's new consumer-oriented IdeaPad notebooks and IdeaCentre desktops complement Lenovo's business-oriented ThinkPad notebooks and ThinkCentre desktops. The new PCs will be initially offered in multiple countries including the U.S., France, Russia, South Africa, India, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, China, the Philippines and Singapore. Here is more info:

"A trio of IdeaPad notebook PCs ? the IdeaPad Y510, Y710 and U110 ? will be sold in the U.S. The notebooks, powered by Intel Centrino processor technology, combine cutting-edge and easy-to-use technologies such as facial recognition, Dolby Home Theatre surround sound and dedicated gaming controls. They also make a bold design statement with frameless screens, touch-sensitive control surfaces and unique textures. The new IdeaPad Y510 notebook will be available initially at BestBuy.com, Micro Center, Newegg.com, Office Depot and Tiger Direct, and the IdeaPad Y710 will be available initially at Tiger Direct.

According to IDC, the worldwide consumer PC market is expected to grow by an average of nearly 10 percent annually through 2011.1 In 2007, Lenovo created a new consumer business unit to address the consumer market, which represents over 40 percent of all PCs sold.

"Our ThinkPad notebooks are well-known around the world as the best engineered computer for business ? for quality, reliability and thoughtful design," said Liu Jun, senior vice president and president, Consumer Business Group, Lenovo. "We're now bringing Lenovo's expertise in design and engineering to consumers with our Idea-branded PCs. We are confident we will grow our consumer business by blending innovative technologies like facial recognition with stylish designs to enhance the way people use technology in their personal lives."

Lenovo also announced its new "Ideas" marketing campaign to introduce consumers worldwide to the latest PCs and the company. Using the new campaign, Lenovo will illustrate the power of individual ideas and how the Idea brand of PCs helps people to capture and transform those ideas. The campaign will include web-based promotion, merchandising, point-of-sale, as well as traditional media advertising.

IdeaPad Notebooks The IdeaPad line delivers notebooks designed for a variety of lifestyles with features integrated across the line such as:Convenient log-in and authentication: Users can make their face their password with VeriFace? Face Recognition, a new, convenient way to log into the PC and a host of applications. The combination of the VeriFace software and an embedded camera can recognize a user's face for log-in and help eliminate the need to remember passwords.

Fully-loaded entertainment & multimedia: The notebooks are equipped with Dolby Home Theater, which delivers exceptional surround sound for movies, videos, music and games and offers a cinema-style experience for listeners through the PCs' multiple speakers (most models have five speakers). Lenovo's Multimedia Control Center provides an excellent multimedia experience with easy-to-use software to play movies, listen to music and view photos. With touch sensitive controls, users can quickly select among multimedia choices, volume and equalizer.Distinctive look and design: Lenovo notebooks set the trend for stylish design with blue, red or black and with smooth, weave or raised textured top covers. Frameless screens provide a unique viewing experience.

In addition to these shared innovations, each notebook offers a number of extra features intended to maximize the experience the notebooks were designed for, such as:

IdeaPad Y710

Lenovo designed the 17-inch widescreen IdeaPad Y710 notebook PC for users who desire a high level of performance for entertainment. Distinctively designed with a smooth, blue, metallic finish, the notebook also comes equipped with halo lighting, accenting the top cover and backlit Lenovo logo. Select models include a second, hot-swap hard drive to easily store and transfer data as well as Game Zone functionality. Game Zone includes enlarged directional buttons for enhanced game play, four user-customizable buttons and a secondary display showing system information such as CPU speed. It also includes a performance control switch with Turbo mode for maximum power, including CPU overclocking, and Quiet mode for energy savings. Equipped with Intel Centrino processor technology, ATI graphics, WLAN connectivity, five speakers including a subwoofer as well as an optional Blu-ray DVD reader, the IdeaPad Y710 notebook caters to the entertainment enthusiast.

Designed for customers looking for a versatile, all-in-one notebook, the 15.4-inch widescreen IdeaPad Y510 notebook PC has a black, textured, linen-like top cover. In addition to the features shared by the IdeaPad line, it comes with technologies to enable a variety of computing tasks ? from word processing to photo and video editing. It comes equipped with Intel Centrino processor technology, integrated graphics, WLAN connectivity, five speakers including a subwoofer, an integrated camera, battery life indicator and a DVD-RW optical drive.

The IdeaPad U110, an ultraportable 11-inch widescreen notebook PC, weighs only 2.3 pounds and is 0.7 inches deep. The textured design embedded in its red aluminum alloy top cover blends style and durability. Ideal for highly mobile users, the powerful notebook provides extensive computing time with an additional battery and the performance of optional solid state flash drives. Lenovo also equipped select configurations with its Active Protection System, an air bag-like device that parks the hard drive to help protect data during a fall.

Pricing and Availability Select configurations will be offered at various retailers. Recommended pricing for the IdeaPad Y510 and Y710 starts at $799 and $1,199, respectively. The IdeaPad U110 notebook will be available in April. More information on the notebooks can be found at www.lenovo.com/ideas "